Northwire Canada EditionFriday, October 30, 2026
Northwire
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Gold 4,033.10 +0.0% Silver 52.06 −0.3% Copper 6.58 −0.2% Oil 102.80 +0.8% Palladium 1,002.00 +0.3% ONAU 0.530 −1.9% WMS 0.075 +0.0% CAD 2.34 −2.5% NGEX 21.53 −1.3% CG 28.52 −3.7% PPX 0.220 −8.3% CS 11.77 −2.1% EMO 0.295 +0.0% IPT 0.225 +0.0% TECK 89.22 +1.3% SLG 5.95 +0.8% FT 0.095 +2.7% SGQ 0.330 +6.5% AUAU 0.440 +6.0% FVL 0.830 −2.4% AYA 34.15 −3.3% Gold 4,033.10 +0.0% Silver 52.06 −0.3% Copper 6.58 −0.2% Oil 102.80 +0.8% Palladium 1,002.00 +0.3% ONAU 0.530 −1.9% WMS 0.075 +0.0% CAD 2.34 −2.5% NGEX 21.53 −1.3% CG 28.52 −3.7% PPX 0.220 −8.3% CS 11.77 −2.1% EMO 0.295 +0.0% IPT 0.225 +0.0% TECK 89.22 +1.3% SLG 5.95 +0.8% FT 0.095 +2.7% SGQ 0.330 +6.5% AUAU 0.440 +6.0% FVL 0.830 −2.4% AYA 34.15 −3.3%
Drill Results Routine +

Meridian drills 7.2 m of 1.4 g/t Au at Santa Helena

Executive Summary
  • Meridian Mining PLC reported drill results from its Santa Helena project, highlighting hole CD-869 which intercepted 7.2 m of 1.4 g/t Au, 24.3 g/t Ag, 2.3% Zn, and 0.9% Pb.
  • This intercept marks the first appearance of visible gold at Santa Helena and is interpreted as the downdip extension of the Santa Helena North chargeability anomaly.
  • Additional infill drilling at Santa Helena Central returned multiple high-grade intersections (e.g., CD-866: 15.4 m @ 0.7 g/t Au, 5.1% Zn; CD-861: 12.0 m @ 0.8 g/t Au, 4.9% Zn).
  • The company commenced field evaluations for the Espigao Cu-Au targets and secured environmental permission (SEDAM) for upcoming reconnaissance drilling.
  • The release references the March 2025 PFS for the flagship Cabacal project, citing a $984M NPV, 61.2% IRR, and $742/oz AISC.
Material Impact
  • The discovery of a second VMS layer and visible gold at Santa Helena is geologically significant, reinforcing the high prospectivity of the Cabacal belt and supporting the company's hub-and-spoke development strategy.
  • However, this update is part of a well-funded, ongoing exploration program that has already delivered consistent high-grade results throughout 2025 and early 2026. The market has largely priced in the Santa Helena resource potential following the January 2026 maiden resource declaration and subsequent drill campaigns.
  • The news does not alter the immediate capital requirements, DFS timeline, or permitting roadmap for the Cabacal flagship project. It serves as a positive validation of the exploration thesis rather than a fundamental shift in project economics or execution risk.
  • The announcement is incremental to the broader development milestones and aligns with management's stated exploration targets.
MNO · Price
Company Overview
  • Meridian Mining PLC is a pre-revenue junior explorer advancing the Cabacal Au-Cu-Ag VMS project in Mato Grosso, Brazil.
  • Flagship Project: Cabacal. The Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) completed in March 2025 outlines a 10.6-year mine life, producing 141,000 oz AuEq annually. Key metrics include a $984M post-tax NPV, 61.2% IRR, $248M pre-production capex, and $742/oz AISC.
  • Secondary Asset: Santa Helena Central. A maiden M&I resource of 5.3 Mt was declared in January 2026. Ongoing drilling aims to expand this resource and support a potential second operational hub.
  • Strategy: The company employs a hub-and-spoke model along a 50 km VMS belt, targeting regional exploration in the Jauru and Araputanga greenstone belts and the Espigao IOCG prospect.
Read the original news release →

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